Philip Donato pay rise drought donation labelled cheap stunt by Nationals Kevin Anderson

Shooters Fishers and Farmers MP Philip Donato has donated his 2.5 per cent salary increase and has challenged other regional MPs to do the same. 

In July, all NSW MPs saw a boost in their base salary from $161,040 to $165,066 a year.

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said he and other Nationals politicians were already donating to drought-relief causes without making a fuss about it.

“I think it’s a cheap headline grab,” Mr Anderson said.

“Philip Donato knows that he’s irrelevant. He should roll up his sleeves, knuckle down and help his farmer, rather than chase a headline.”

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The Shooters candidate for Tamworth, Jeff Bacon, said he was following Mr Donato’s lead, and called on Mr Anderson to do the same.

“I’m donating that today, whether Kevin does or not, and regardless of if I’m elected,” Mr Bacon said.

“I’m putting my money where my mouth is. Donating that pay rise is a no-brainer.”

“We’ve got families in terrible, bloody trouble out here and charity shouldn’t have to be doing the job of the government.”

Mr Anderson said he’d already donated to a number of local charities, and recently performed at the We Care concert, which raised $40,000.

“I know I’m copping a bit of flake, with some people saying ‘He’s up there playing his guitar when he should be out there helping farmers’,” Mr Anderson said.

“But that’s what I do and if I can support in anyway, shape or form, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

Read also: How you can help local farmers through the Bale A Bail campaign

The Nationals lost the seat of Orange to the SFF in the 2016 by-election, and since then the party has fiercely contested a number traditional Nationals-held seats.

However, Mr Anderson said his focus was on the drought and helping farmers, not the state election in March.

“I'm not thinking about the next election, it will take care of itself,” he said.

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